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Herrera back to help beleaguered Halos bullpen

ANAHEIM -- The Angels added Yoslan Herrera to their bullpen on Tuesday, selecting his contract from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Wade LeBlanc's roster spot.

Herrera owns a 2.52 ERA with 8.46 strikeouts per nine innings and five saves in the Minors this season. The 33-year-old right-hander from Cuba had a 4.50 ERA in six games for the Angels in April, not allowing a run in four of them.

"Our reports from guys in Triple-A is that he's been throwing the ball better than anyone down there out of the bullpen," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "His velocity is up a little bit. We saw him a little bit earlier this year, but I don't think we saw a guy that is at the level that he is now. We're hoping that if we have to pitch Herrera, that he'll get out there and give us the innings we need."

The Angels have relied on their bullpen to throw 36 2/3 innings in their previous 11 games (3 1/3 per game) and have only used two relievers or fewer in a game twice during that span.

Tuesday's game was the Angels' 12th in as many days, and they won't receive a break until Monday, one day after a crucial four-game series against Oakland.

"On a short-term basis, I think we are desperate for an arm up here tonight," Scioscia said. "Wade didn't quite pitch as deep as we had hoped, and I think that our focus has to be on making sure that we're not overworking some guys in the bullpen. So we need an arm, and that was the only move we had open to us right now."

Matthew DeFranks is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MDeFranks. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.